Car Accident FAQ

Yes, you can; however, your personal injury protection or “PIP” coverage should be primary and will pay 80% of your medical bills, but only if you see a provider for treatment within 14 days of your crash. It is incredibly important that you do this, even if you are only a little stiff, so that your coverage is preserved. Many times it can take days, weeks or even months for symptoms to manifest significantly.

You are always better off seeking treatment early in the event that your “minor” injury turns out to be not so minor. Typically medical providers will send your medical bills to your PIP carrier first, as they should. Once you have reached the limit of your PIP insurance benefits, your health insurance may be billed and should pay subject to the terms of your health insurance policy.

If the other driver is uninsured, then check your policy to see if you carry Uninsured Motorist coverage. If so, that coverage should cover your loss. Florida law only requires drivers to carry “PIP” coverage and Property Damage Liability coverage with a $10,000 minimum limit. This means that drivers are not required to carry any bodily injury coverage, which is the coverage that pays for the injuries of another when you are at fault.

The reason personal injury lawyers have jobs is because insurance companies save money by not paying the full value of claims. A personal injury lawyer can help evaluate your claim and make sure that you are not being taken advantage of.

There are also many questions that the vast majority of people do not know to ask. For instance: If the other driver’s insurance is limited, do I have to accept the policy limits for a settlement? (While it may be the most practical course, no, you don’t have to accept it.) Does it matter if the other driver was on his/her way to work, or if he/she was driving as a part of his/her work? (Yes, it matters.) What do I do if my medical bills are more than the available insurance coverage? How do I make sure that I know about all of the available insurance coverage? Are there any other potential defendants?

These are all questions that an experienced personal injury lawyer answer and help you out. Following a car, truck, motorcycle or bicycle crash, you need to focus on your health and recovery. Let us guide you and take care of everything else.